TL/DR –
US Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, announced that America will not continue its contributions to global health programme Gavi, citing questionable recommendations around COVID-19 vaccines and concerns about the diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis (DTPw) vaccine. Gavi responded that safety is a top priority and that it has full confidence in the DTPw vaccine, which has saved over 40 million lives in the past 50 years. Kennedy, a vaccine sceptic, also recently removed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and replaced them with vaccine-averse members.
US To Halt Contributions To Gavi, Global Health Programme
US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has declared that the country will cease funding for Gavi, the global health initiative that vaccinated over a billion impoverished children worldwide.
At a recent Gavi fundraiser in Brussels, Kennedy highlighted questionable COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and expressed concerns about the diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis vaccine (DTPw), without providing supporting evidence.
“Gavi needs to re-establish public trust and justify the $8bn US funding since 2001,” Kennedy stated.
He suggested Gavi should review all scientific evidence before investing in vaccines and until then, the US will not contribute more.
This announcement was initially reported by Politico and later by Reuters.
Gavi responded with a comprehensive statement, citing safety as a top priority, alignment with World Health Organization recommendations and full trust in the DTPw vaccine, credited for halving child mortality in supported countries since 2000.
“The DTPw vaccine, administered globally for decades, is estimated to have saved over 40 million lives in the past 50 years,” the statement said.
The Trump administration had previously hinted at cutting the $300m annual funding for Gavi. Advocacy groups urged the US to reverse this decision.
According to nonprofit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, Kennedy’s claims about Gavi’s disregard for science are false, suggesting this fuels measles outbreaks and resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases.
A vaccine skeptic, Kennedy has challenged the US medical establishment since his inauguration in February, raising questions about potential links between autism and vaccines.
Kennedy recently dismissed all 17 members of the CDC’s expert panel on vaccines, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
New Vaccine Committee Undergoes Intense Scrutiny
The revised committee met for the first time on Wednesday amidst concerns from medical experts about threats to public access to essential vaccinations.
While government scientists named vaccination “the best protection” during pregnancy, Kennedy has already ruled out COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children or pregnant women.
COVID-19 continues to pose a public health threat with 32,000 to 51,000 US deaths and over 250,000 hospitalizations since last fall, as per CDC.
Michael Ross, a Virginia-based obstetrician, quit the committee just prior to Wednesday’s meeting, reducing its number to seven.
The American Academy of Pediatrics announced it will independently publish its own vaccine schedule for children, considering ACIP as “no longer a credible process.”
At the Senate hearings for Trump’s CDC director nominee, Susan Monarez, she stated she saw no evidence linking vaccines and autism and would review the decision to withdraw Gavi funding.
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